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Benefits of Exercise

Sixth graders learn how regular exercise strengthens the heart, muscles, and bones — and lifts mood and lowers stress. Aiming for about 60 minutes of activity a day, in ways you enjoy, keeps body and mind healthy. They check the benefits, then plan fun ways to move.

Grade 6Benefits of Exercise45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name body benefits of exercise.
  • ✓Name mind benefits.
  • ✓Aim for 60 active minutes.
  • ✓Plan fun activity.
Essential Question

How does moving your body help you — inside and out?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Check It · Interactive

Why Exercise?

Project each item and have students answer about the benefits of exercise.

🏃 Understand the benefits of exerciseTry it
Answer each question about exercise.
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Move It

5 min

How do you feel after you run around and play?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Share how it feels.
  • Invite a few.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Benefits of Exercise

11 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Why Exercise?
  • Note body & mind benefits.
  • Note about 60 minutes a day.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a body benefit.
  • Name a mind benefit.
  • List 3 activities you like.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name.
  • Name.
  • List.
4

Apply — Apply

11 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Plan a week of fun activity.
  • Aim for 60 min a day.
  • Pick one to do today.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Plan.
  • Aim.
  • Pick.
5

Cool-Down — Cool-Down

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say a benefit of exercise.
  • Say the daily goal.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
PE.3

Understand how activity builds fitness.

SHAPE
PE.5

Value physical activity for health and enjoyment.

SHAPE
HE.1

Explain the physical and mental benefits of exercise.

SHAPE
HE.6

Set a personal activity goal.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Activity picture cards.
  • Frame: “exercise helps my ___.”
  • Demonstrate a movement.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Name one benefit.
  • Pick one activity.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Track active minutes.
  • Lead a movement break.
  • Compare activity intensities.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🏃Activity cards
  • 💻Why Exercise?
  • ⏱️A timer
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

exerciseactivity that works your bodyendurancebeing able to keep goingstrengthhow much force your muscles makemoodhow you feelstresstension that exercise can easehearta muscle that exercise strengthensactivemoving your bodygoalabout 60 active minutes a day
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Name one body benefit of exercise.
Stronger heart, muscles, or bones (or more endurance).
QUESTION 2
Name one mind benefit.
Better mood and less stress.
QUESTION 3
How much activity should kids aim for daily?
About 60 minutes, in ways they enjoy.

Cool-down: benefits of exercise.

Have students plan 3 fun activities for the week. A printable activity tracker is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Benefits of ExerciseFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Benefits of ExerciseQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Benefits of ExercisePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: active, endurance, exercise, goal, heart, mood, strength, stress
  1. being able to keep going
  2. about 60 active minutes a day
  3. a muscle that exercise strengthens
  4. how much force your muscles make
  5. moving your body
  6. activity that works your body
  7. tension that exercise can ease
  8. how you feel

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name one body benefit of exercise.
  2. Name one mind benefit.
  3. How much activity should kids aim for daily?
Answer key — Part A: 1) endurance · 2) goal · 3) heart · 4) strength · 5) active · 6) exercise · 7) stress · 8) mood
Part B: 1) Stronger heart, muscles, or bones (or more endurance). 2) Better mood and less stress. 3) About 60 minutes, in ways they enjoy.